Johan larsson



('NoModel.)

J. LARSSON- FLOATING SIGNAL FOR LOOATING SUNKEN VESSELS. H

No. 504,225. v Patented Au -29,1893.

JNm'York.

. WITNESSES: liNVEA/TOH UNITED i'TATES J OHAN LARSSON,

OF LUDINGTON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND FRANK PETERSON, OF SAME PLACE.

FLOATING SIGNAL FOR LOCATING SUNKEN VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504,225, dated August 29, 1893. Application filed December 29, 1892. Serial No. 456,723. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHAN LARSSON, of Ludington, in the county of Mason and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Floating Signals for Locating Sunken Vessels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improvement in floating devices adapted to indicate the position of a sunken vessel, and has for its object to provide a buoy which will conspicuously show the location of a sunken craft, which will indicate the name of the submerged vessel, which contains a hermetically sealed case wherein memoranda relating to the foundered craft may be placed, together with a length of line reaching from the buoy to the vessel; and furthermore, to provide means to support the buoy on the vessel, ready for use if accident happens to thelatter and furnish a line for the buoy, which line is adapted to pay out when the vessel sinks and the buoy floats above it, so as to maintain a connection between the signaling device and the object to which it is attached at the bottom of the Water bed.

To these ends my invention consistsin the construction of parts and their combination, as is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure l is a side view in part, of a sunken vessel and the improved indicating buoy connected therewith and floating on the surface of the water above the craft; and Fig. 2 represents the improved signaling device partly in section, and supported on a portion of a vessels deck.

The improvement consists of a hollow sheet metal float or buoy A, of suitable dimensions for efficient service and conical in form, having its top walla, convexed, and the entire structure made water and air-tight. A transverse partition wall I), is formed in the hollow float A, near its longitudinal center, and the space below said partition is filled with cork 0.

Between the partition b, and top wall a, there is located a transverse diaphragm d, which is secured to the inner surface of the conical side wall of the float A, so as to produce two air-tight compartments within it, above the lower chamber wherein the cork filling c, is packed; thus furnishing two airtight chambers, so that if one is injured and fills with water, the other will float the upper part of the shell of the buoy.

An aperture of proper size is formed in the convex wall a, for the introduction of a cylindrical case B, which is secured therein airtight, and is designed to contain the ships letters and papers, or other memoranda that. would be of service to indicate to those interested the name, rating, destination, home, and cargo, of a sunken vessel, to which the buoy belongs. The case is sealed hermetically by any proper device, a screw cap on its outer end being shown as a preferred a means for closing the case water-tight, after the papers have been introduced.

A flag-staff O, is introduced through the center of the top walla, and also through the partitions therein, and the converged lower terminal of the float wall, its joints with said parts being made water and air-tight. The staff 0, extends a short distance below the pointed lower end of the float shell A, and projects a proper distance above the top wall a, to aiford a support for the signal flags D, which may represent any national color or emblem and have the name of the vessel they belong to imprinted upon them or any other design or legend that may be preferred. From the lower end of the staff 0, a ballast weight E, is projected, which is of a suflicient heft to counter-balance the weight of the staff above the top wall of the float A, and cause the float to ride upon the water and hold the flag elevated.

On the ballast weight E, a swivel piece F, is affixed by a ring or like means, the swivel piece extending from the lower part of the ballast weight. A wrapped ball of cordage G having a sufficient length for eflective service, is placed in an inclosed receptacle I, and has one of its end portions projected through the perforated top of said receptacle or box, which latter is by preference secured to the deck of the vessel that is to carry the signal, near its bow or stern. The rope G,is adapted to unwrap freely when its end portion outside ICO of the containing box is drawn upon, and said portion of the rope is attached to the lower end of the swivel piece F, the other end being prevented from passing out of the box I, by any suitable means.

On the deck of the vessel whereon the im- 7 provement is to be placed, two standards J,

are vertically erected, near the box I, as indicated in Fig. 2, a proper distance intervening the standards to permit the location of the flag staff 0, upon them 5 there being crotched formations on the upper terminals of the standards that facilitate the support of the stafi which is loosely laid in said crotches, with the float or buoy A between the standards, the height of the latter maintaining the buoy body above the deck.

The parts being constructed and arranged as stated, it will be seen, thatin case the vessel having the improvement is foundered, the

buoy A, willrise to the waters surface,'and float above the sunken craft, and in case the seamen are drowned, or have tdabandon the submerged vessel, the buoy and its flag will show the exact location of the ship-below it. Furthermore, an examination of the contents ofthe sealed case B, willenable those who subsequently inspect it, to ascertain theprobable depth of the water, where the vessel is lying, if the length of the buoyline G, is recorded in the memoranda contained in the case B.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

1. An indicating buoy for vessels, the same being formed with transverse partition-s forming air tight chambers,a filling of cork in one of such chambers, astafif extending longitudinallythrough the buoy partitions and projecting beyond the top and bottom of the buoy, and a counterbalance weight a on the lower projecting end of the staff, the upper end of thestad being adapted to receive a flag or the like, substantially as described.

2. In an indicating device for vessels, the combination with a conical air-tight hollow float orbuoy shell, a flag-staff extending longitudinally and centrally through the shell, of a line box on the vessels deck, a wrapped line therein having one end connected with the buoy at its lower end and oppositely attached to the box, and spaced standards on the vessel adapted to loosely sustain the buoy shell between them by engaging the flag-staff, substantially as described.

3. An indicating device forsunken vessels, comprising a conical buoy shell divided into a lower chamberand two= upperchambers, cork-filling in the lower chamber, a fiag-stafif secured centrally and longitudinally in the buoy shell and projected through it air-tight, a sealed case inthebuoy shell above a partitition therein, standards on thedeck of the vessel, which normally support the indicating device,and a line connected byone end tothe float and the other to the vessel,substantially as described.

4. Anindicating device for sunken vessels, comprising an air-tight conicalbuoy shell divided into three chambers, cork fillingin the lower cha1nber,a flag-staff extending centrally and longitudinally throughthe buoy shell, a flag thereon above said shell, a depending ballast weight on the lower end of the flagstaft, a swivel piece on the weight, and aline in a box on the vessels deck, and-attached by one end in said box and at the other end to the swivel piece, substantially as described.

J OIIAN LARSSON.

Witnesses:

DANIEL W. RUNDON, FRANK E. PETERSON. 

